Written for the Ultimate Patronus Quest (Lux: Write about a Ravenclaw), 365 Day Prompt Challenge (Padma Patil), Convince Me Competition (AnthonyPadma).
Anthony staggers through the entrance of the common room, and Padma rushes to him, her heart breaking as she guides him to the nearest chair. His skin is unnaturally pale and beaded with a cold sweat. A fresh gash across his cheek still oozes blood, and a bruise begins to blossom under his left eye.
"You didn't have to wait up for me, Padma," he says, wincing as he smiles at her.
"You should have gone straight to Madam Pomfrey," she sighs. "Come on. I'll walk you now."
"And get yourself a detention for being out after curfew?" he asks, his smile fading. "I don't think so."
Padma closes her eyes, trying to ignore the tears that cling to her lashes. She should have been the one serving detention tonight anyway. Anthony had taken the blame for in Alecto Carrow's class. He had saved her, and now he's suffering for it.
"Why would you do it?" she asks, opening her eyes with a sigh. "I'm the one who drew the Dumbledore's Army emblem on our table. It should have been me."
Anthony reaches up, his thumb brushing a tear from the corner of her eye. Padma can't help but think how twisted it is. Anthony is the one who was tortured, and yet here he is, comforting her.
"Come on, Patil," he says gently. "Use that brain of yours. Quiet kid who never gets into trouble suddenly becomes a rebel when a pretty, smart, funny girl risks getting detention. Not many things would make someone want to willingly volunteer to be tortured."
She shakes her head, realizing where he's going with this. "That is the most ridiculous thing ever," she says.
"Love makes you do ridiculous things," he laughs.
"I'm not a damsel, Anthony," she groans. "I didn't ask- I didn't need you to step in and rescue me."
He shrugs and leans back in his chair. "There you go, making this about you," he muses. "I assure you, my reasons were actually pretty selfish. It's not that I thought you were some helpless creature who needed to be saved. It's that I knew that it would hurt me more to know that you were suffering. I couldn't stand the thought of them torturing you, and I took the blame."
Her jaw drops as she tries to take this in. She clenches her fists, then quickly relaxes her hands, taking a deep breath. "And you didn't think that maybe I would hurt seeing you like this?" she demands. "It should have been me, and now I have to deal with the guilt. And I-"
"I didn't think about that," he admits with a frown. "I'm sorry."
She wishes that she could be angry with him, but she can't find it in her. She sits beside him, taking his hand. "Thank you for stepping in," she says. "But don't do it again. I don't want you getting hurt just to protect me, Anthony."
"Even if I'm completely willing?"
"Even then."
They sit in silence for several moments as she tends to his wounds as best she can. In the morning, she'll take him to the hospital wing to be treated properly.
"I always wondered what it would be like to have you fawn over me," he chuckles, breaking the silence at last.
Padma leans in, pressing a careful kiss to his lips. "Just don't make a habit of getting tortured, and I'll fawn over you all you want," she laughs.
He grins, wincing at the effort. "Deal," he says.
